[wine] Dry Rose

FYI/FYE, Per Bonny Doon's Randall Grahm. Rose' is the odd intersection of the terminally hip and the terminally un-hip. Chicago Tribune: Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon winery, a pioneer in making Rhone-style wines in California, offers a sociological explanation. "They appeal to either the terminally hip or the terminally unhip wine drinker," he says, "and there is an unbridgeable chasm between them." Dry rosénder $20: The Chronicle recommends Jon BonnéSunday, May 29, 2011 The happy thing about rosé surging popularity is that the hoary annual roséolumn no longer has to contain its dose of evangelism. Rosé case has been made, enough that there are now frets about a puncture appearing in its balloon. Its growth has often come at the cost of quality - as everyone with a batch of red grapes to salvage or concentrate was willing to bleed off just a bit of pink juice, or press the grapes quickly enough to escape their faults. That's not the path to serious rosé Yet, those wines seem to be falling away as the general expectation for pink wine has risen. That was the case with our latest tasting from the 2010 vintage. That's not to say there aren't still plenty of overripe, overworked roséappearing - often as a tasting room "treat" that quickly makes clear why it isn't being sold beyond the winery door. We encountered our share of such duds as we tasted nearly 60 wines from around the world, including from spots, like Spain, that have been rosétrongholds. For that matter, we found ourselves short on wines from locales with a strong tradition of making roséor rosé sake. Consider the Loire Valley. While Chinon Rosémade from Cabernet Franc, can show the finest of what pink wine offers, we had not one in our lineup. This seems to be a perennial problem, as though bottles might be in short supply. (If you find one, snap it up.) But Provence, rosé mothership, came to the party, as did the Languedoc, where serious rosés being made amid a sea of lesser grapes. Of course, there's also a strong roséradition being upheld on the West Coast. The usual base material of Syrah, Grenache and Carignane are being used to great effect in wines from Horse & Plow and Charles & Charles, while Pinot Noir's pink iterations are being finessed, often by small labels like Vaughn Duffy and Zepaltas. With a price cap of $20, we still found a bounty of wines to enjoy through the summer - including plenty that can be had for under $15. As Memorial Day arrives, now is the time to stock up. These are wines that have all the freshness to celebrate the summer, but they're still worth taking seriously. For now is the era to enjoy rosé evangelism no longer needed. 2010 Ameztoi Rubentis Getariako Txakolina ($19, 10.5% alcohol): Ameztoi, which helped put the Basque wine Txakoli on the map, turns out an amazingly refreshing pink version by using slightly more Hondarribi Beltza, the coastal region's native red grape. With a bit of spritz, plus saline mineral edges and iris-accented sour cherry. Light (it dials in under 11 percent alcohol) and deft. Pour it with sardines. (Importer: De Maison Selections) 2010 Argiolas Serra Lori Isola dei Nuraghi Rosato ($14, 13.5%): Sardinia's most influential winery provides a take on a roséhat exudes Mediterranean spirit, harnessing Cannonau (Grenache) and Carignano, plus the indigenous Monica and Bovale Sardo. Intensely floral and curious, with happy berry flavors and a roasted-carrot sweetness, accented by caraway, tart citron and oregano. (Importer: Winebow) 2010 Barnard Griffin Washington Roséf Sangiovese ($12, 12.4%): This value-minded Washington winery turns out a perennially popular pink. While it's been getting sweeter in recent years, the pretty rose-petal and dusty qualities remain, like a garden on a hot day - with a Pixy Stix tartness to the juicy cherry. 2010 Calcu Colchagua Valley Rosé$12, 12%): A snapshot of Chile's potential from winemakers Alejandro Jofre and Ricardo Rivadeniera, combining one-half Malbec, plus Syrah and Petit Verdot. Floral, fresh and tangy, with lots of mandarin orange, tea and raspberry ice. (Importer: Global Vineyard Importers) 2010 Charles & Charles Columbia Valley Syrah Rosé$10, 13.0%): The two Charleses are Smith (of K Vintners) and Bieler (of Three Thieves), and their Washington project shows the best of that state's Syrah bounty. Ripe, deep and spicy - white pepper, leathery cherry fruit and an orange-blossom accent. Also check out Bieler's 2010 Bieler Pere et Fils ($12, 13%) from Provence. 2010 Francois Chidaine Val de Loire Touraine Rosé$14, 12.5%): Chidaine is far better known for his Chenin Blanc-based Montlouis, but this mix of Pinot Noir and Loire native grape Grolleau is a sign of his versatility. Light and stony, with sea-foam and celery notes from the Grolleau and pleasing berry fruit from the Pinot. Peach, raspberry and a fresh herbal accent emerge as you drink it. (Importer: Beaune Imports) 2010 Donkey & Goat Isabel's Cuvee Mendocino Grenache Rosé$18, 13.5%): From Berkeley's Jared and Tracey Brandt (among our 2010 Winemakers to Watch) comes another vintage of this slightly translucent bottle. A curious sweet carob-like accent leads to raspberry jam and a floral hint. An esoteric roséith distinct appeal. 2010 Edmunds St. John Bone-Jolly El Dorado Gamay Rosé$16, 13.1%): Another Berkeley entry from Steve Edmunds, who in recent years has turned his juicy Bone-Jolly from high-altitude Gamay vineyards in the Sierra foothills into a pink version. This has all the appeal of Bone-Jolly in a more buoyant package. Pleasingly grapey, with a curious mix of accents: button mushroom, freesia, Meyer lemon and yellow raspberry. 2010 Chateau d'Esclans Whispering Angel Cotes de Provence ($18, 13.5%): Wine scion Sacha Lichine expanded from his family's Bordeaux holdings (Prieuréichine) into Provence, where Esclans focuses on roséMinerally, with a muted nose but subtly floral fruit and apricot-skin texture, almond-skin and mandarin. (Importer: Shaw-Ross International) 2010 Gaia Wines 14-18h Peloponnisos Agiorgitiko Rosé$18, 13%): This rising-star Greek winery leaves Agiorgitiko (St. George) grapes on their skins for up to 18 hours - hence the name - to gain color and a heady aroma that caught our attention two years in a row. Sanguine, with iris, robust cherry and roasted-tangerine fruit. An iodine edge provides a lovely depth. (Importer: Ideal North America) 2010 Horse & Plow North Coast Rosé$15, 13.9%): This label run by Lutea winemaker Suzanne Hagins and her husband, Chris Condos of Vinum Cellars, has a deft hand with Rhone-native grapes, including this effort sourced mostly from an old vineyard north of Ukiah. A blend of Carignane, Syrah and Grenache with a pleasing grip and spicy bite. Black pepper and celery seed, plus orange peel, apricot and huckleberry. 2010 Paul Jaboulet Ainéarallele 45 Cotes-du-Rhone Rosé$14, 13.5%): A fine effort from a large Rhone negociant, showing the best of the Rhone's roséotential in a Grenache-Cinsault-Syrah blend. (Often-overlooked Cinsault is a great roséorkhorse.) Tense and refreshing, with pretty leather and cranberry, plus a garrigue-like herby freshness. (Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons) 2010 Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Vin de Pays de l'Herault Rosé$12, 12%): The Guibert family of the Languedoc's Daumas Gassac has been performing wonders with its organically farmed everyday second label produced by a co-op in the coastal town of Sete. This mix of Syrah and Grenache is vibrant and focused, with white mineral, lemon zest and enough robust cherry fruit to match barbecue. (Importer: Beaune Imports) 2010 Stephen Ross Central Coast Pinot Noir Vin Gris ($19, 13.5%): Steve Dooley's Pinot-focused label has yielded a bottle that's juicy and light on its feet - straightforward but full of chive, bay laurel and raspberry. 2010 Suacci Carciere Sonoma County Rosé$18, 13.7%): Time to bury all those jokes about Pinot Noir tasting like Syrah. Here's a rosélended from both, mostly Syrah from Dry Creek mixed with bled-off Pinot juice from this notable Sebastopol vineyard. Savory and foresty, with fresh mint and strawberry, and a burnt-orange tone. 2010 Valle Reale Cerasuolo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo ($11, 12.5%): The Abruzzo region's tradition of turning eminently drinkable Montepulciano into a rubyish version, Cerasuolo, remains one of summer's great pleasures. This effort from Leonardo Pizzolo's relatively new cantina is fresh and full of tart cherry with a beet-root bite. Great ham-sandwich wine. (Importer: Winebow) 2010 Vaughn Duffy Sonoma County Roséf Pinot Noir ($15, 13.2%): Young talent Matt Duffy, who got his winemaking legs at Siduri, has turned out a subtle effort from three vineyards. Burst with the steely, fresh flavors Pinot can show in pink form: wintergreen, strawberry and moss, with a surprisingly refined, lean texture. 2010 Zepaltas California Rosé$15, 13.3%): Though the varietal isn't on the label, this is Pinot - and Ryan Zepaltas turns his Pinot talents to the pink realm here. Twist the screw cap and give it time to open. After 20 minutes the pretty berry fruit is perfectly tart, lemon-edged and refreshing, like ice-cold raspberries. Panelists: Jon BonnéChronicle wine editor; Mike Millett, wine buyer, Rainbow Grocery; Chris Tavelli, owner, Yield and Pause wine bars. Jon Bonnés The Chronicle's wine editor. Find him at jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com or @jbonne on Twitter. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/29/FD2G1JKR37.DTL This article appeared on page H - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 * * james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *